Iron and Steel
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: Equestria 1562. Queen Chrysalis still seeks to take Equestria by force. The combined armies of Equestria, The Griffon Kingdom and the Wolf-Griffon Kingdom of Castillo will have something to say about that. This is the chronicle of the Northland War through the eyes of those that fought in it.
1. Chapter 1

**My Little Pony: Iron and Steel**

**Chapter 1: The Northland Wars**

It is 1562. I have seen our kingdoms grow in prosperity and harmony thanks to the trade routes and friendship. I am Queen Gustel of the Griffon Kingdom. I rule my throne generously and humbly. The Kingdom of Castillo, the Kingdom of the Wolf-Griffons, is ruled by Maria-Elena the Goodhearted, and Equestria by the Princesses Celestia and Luna.

We swore through a pact stamped with our royal wax seals that we would come to the aid of each other should a great calamity come our way, and one did. It came from the southern frontier of the kingdom. I rushed from my throne to help the wolf-griffon to his paws and talons. I am rather fluent in the wolf-griffon language, "Dime, que te paso?"

"Vinieron como una plaga, como el infierno" he quietly muttered

"Send for the nurses, and be quick about it!" I said to the guards, this one was badly wounded. No doubt shot by a musket. From his words, I knew what had wounded this poor tercel as I lightly stroked his head in my talons to comfort him. My pen name among the other royals is the 'Snowbird' because I am white as snow from top feathers to my tail.

My beak and talons are dark grey. Due to a birth defect, I am colored the way I am. Though my facial features are that of the bald eagle, the coloration of my beak and talons do not match my avian half. I am not afraid to get blood on my fur and feathers if it means helping one in need. The nurses had arrived to remove the lead shot to clean the wound

"Thank goodness," I was relieved to hear the wolf-griffon will live.

There is no doubt. The Changelings invaded Castillo. Knowing Maria-Elena's armies, they will put up a fierce resistance. They will need aid from the other kingdoms, "Gabriella, send a message to the neighboring kingdoms, have their armies mobilized and ready to march north...to war," I said to the mail-delivery griffon, it seems Chrysalis never learns.

We griffons and wolf-griffons pride ourselves on military prowess in the way of the sword and the way of the musket. For our kingdom's musket-griffons, they pride themselves with a musket called a 'Snaphaunce'. We shared this technology with Queen Maria-Elena. She seemed to like what she saw, and developed the 'Miquelet' lock for her musketeers

"Shall we prepare you in armor?" asked one my guards, Gregory,

"Yes please," I said kindly to the royal guard. The helmet of choice among my troops is the Burgonet. I am easy to recognize on the field of battle by the fluffy black feather side plumes on my helmet. I make sure my troops have good quality armor for battle. My valiant troops wear what is often called 'Half-Armor' or Munition Armor along with chainmail

I am armed with two snaphaunce pistols in leather holsters, and a cut-and-thrust sword with a matching dagger as I am trained in the way of aerial cavalry. Gregory handed me a polished wood baton, "Beautiful," he said, I grinned to the handsome golden eagle-lion griffon, "you should not arm yourself, an enemy will surely capitulate if you sit on them"

"How amusing, I am settled on the fact I have big flanks," I replied,

The other guard was trying to hold back his giggling, "Now look what did to Grunwald," I jested back, feigning annoyance like a disapproving mother. Grunwald and Gregory are twin brothers. They have a younger sister among the ranks of my musket-griffons named Gilda. The halberd and the cut-and-thurst sword are the primary weapons of a soldier.

The wounded wolf-griffon named Armando waited for me at the back balcony where my troops were ready to march. Nearly five-thousand strong out of my combined force of twenty-thousand. I looked to him and lightly smiled as an older sister would to a younger brother, "Decirle a su reina, estamos viniendo a ayudarla," I said to the one we helped,

His grin back and bow expressed a gratefulness, "Sí, su majestad"

I watched as he flew back to Castillo on his own power. I cradled my feathered helmet, and surveyed the troops. We have muskets, halberds, and cannon. Together with the strength of griffon, the lion's strength and the winged eagle's might, it was time and these troops are all ready. I stood before them and unsheathed my sword, "Per Angusta!"

"Ad augusta!" they roared back in perfect unison as I sheathed back my sword, proud of all of them. With our flag flying proud at the front of the army, we marched to Castillo. The flag of Griffonstone reflects our friendship with Equestria as there is a golden griffon and alicorn shaking talon to hoof while holding up the golden sun on a blue background.

"There will be no dawn for an insect like you, Chrysalis," I snarled,

From the pounding of drums to the sound of armor on the march, I led the army at the front with my two royal guards at my sides. We have infantry, aerial cavalry, and artillery. The cannon most widely used in the field is the 'Saker' cannon, and fires a six-pounder iron cannonball. I admire the crafts-griffonship that goes into the making of these cannon

I could the groans of my troops growing weary through the march. I feel the aches as well, and they are not easy to ignore. There was a field not too much further ahead, "We shall rest here for the evening," I said to the relief of the army. A good soldier must be well-rested and well-fed. Morale is key to a disciplined army, and hey to achieving victory.

**(Author's Note: please favorite, follow and review kindly ^_^)**


	2. Chapter 2

**My Little Pony: Iron and Steel**

**Chapter 2: Gloria en Batalla**

For two days, those Changeling Hordes have laid siege to the walls of Gorrión and still my troops stand their ground. From the ramparts and the arrow slits in the towers, gunfire erupts never extinguishing the fire of resistance. It will not be long now until they breach these walls. I am willing to sacrifice my life for my kin-folk. For I am Queen Maria-Elena

I have received word from my messenger Armando that Queen Gustel, and her armies are on the march. At night I see the torches of the sieging armies of Chrysalis. I will never give that insect such a title. Still, it fills me with relief that I can count on the Griffon Queen to come to my aid. The morning of the third day comes with the sound of cannon fire

A soldier is well-eqipped, and well-trained for battle. Like the griffon soldier, royal soldiers wear high quality half-armors. The helmet of choice is the 'Morion with Wings' often with engravings of great skill. Like the griffons, the weapon of choice is the halberd, but our difference is in firearms. Griffons use the 'snaphance' lock, and we use the 'miquelet'

Iron cannonballs hammered on the walls and ramparts of the city. Soldiers yelped as the shells exploded into the ranks. Dead soldiers fell from the walls onto the canvas tops of shop stalls. A musketeer was hurrying back to her post after refilling her powder flask. I saw a cannonball cut through the air, and decapitate her. Her red blood splattered on me

The townsfolk screamed and panicked amid the chaos of the besieging, "¡Armando! Lleve a estos ciudadanos a la seguridad de las colinas! ¡Ahora!" I called to the messenger, he saluted and nodded back. With a handful of soldiers, he took the townsfolk out of the city through the rear gate, and out to the hills where Queen Gustel is likely to be encamped

"¡Por nuestra reina!" they roared proudly,

I unsheathed my cut-and-thrust sword for the battle. Wooden duckboards were erected and siege ladders began to come up the moat. As the changelings began to climb up the walls, soldiers found cracks in the ramparts and began shooting back at the enemy. Dead changelings fell off the ladders, and blackened the waters of the moat with their blood.

A few changelings made it over the ramparts. I was prepared, and stabbed one up the chin and into the skull as I snarled up into his ugly muzzle. Another came up from behind only for me to slash her across the face. Others were run through by the spears of halberds. Our soldiers gave no quarter, no mercy, to the enemy as one got his skull split open.

"¡Fuego!" called out a gunner, our 'culverin' cannon roared back from emplacements behind the castle walls. One cannonball happened to make a lucky shot, and hit the powder magazine of the sieging army. A great ball of fire looked to erupt from the abyss as splinters of wood and shards of iron cut through the ranks of the army, inflicting heavy losses

The cheers came from our defenders with smiles, and their weapons raised skyward. It was a great moral victory for us after two days of being bombarded by cannon. From the ramparts, soldiers began to throw lit 'grenados' into the attacking changelings still climbing up the ladders. They maybe small, but they can do damage with small shards of iron

Musketfire began to signal resistance against the hordes. A quick yelp, and a splash into the moat or ground below was the sign of a lead musket ball hitting it's mark. We may have destroyed their heavy cannon, but the changelings also have small caliber cannon aimed, and firing at the gates. A force within the village was awaiting this coming attack.

"¡Por el reino!" I roared,

We not only have to fight the enemy, but also the fires that were springing up. Those that could gathered buckets of water from the well, and tried their hardest to put out the flames. Wounded soldiers were being taking from the ramparts and defenses of the fortress walls by nurses and citizens being taken to anywhere that can serve as a safe place.

Amid the chaos of battle, I shot an attacking changeling with my miquelet pistol, and watched as Armando flew away to the hills to hopefully meet up with Good Queen Gustel's armies. Seeing that we still stood our ground on the second day of laying siege to Gorrión, the changelings once again retreated back to their camp outside of the fortress walls.

A bucket is a futile tool used to fight fires. Many of those structures were left to burn. My black and gilded armor was covered in changeling blood as I sheathed back my sword, and holstered my two pistols. The next day will bring more of the same. I still have faith in that our Griffon allies will come to our aide. No doubt they will attack the front gates.

I looked down at the orange glow of the flames beneath the stone ramparts. Then came the task of collecting the dead. Among them was a nurse. Her blue eyes looking up at the moon, having been killed by a musket ball to the head. Her gold beak was slight agape with a trickle of blood going down the side. What a tragedy to see one so beautiful die

I came down from the walls. I walked up the dead nurse and I closed the eyes, "Descansa, mi amiga," I whispered, an undertaker was taking the bodies to a field outside the walls to be buried. Braves souls all of them, living and dead. I am proud to fight alongside them. They are all my brothers. They are all my sisters. If this is where I fall, so be it.


	3. Chapter 3

**My Little Pony: Iron and Steel**

**Chapter 3: Divide and Conquer**

**(Song: 'Something for the Ages' by Hammerfall) **

At first light on the third day, we made our plans to attack. I could see the smoke rising from Gorrión, and the shell holes in the stone walls of the mighty fortress town. There was a forest behind the Changeling Lines. I formulated a plan as did my commanders, "We should hide our pike and shot divisions in the forest, still we also have our cuirassiers"

"Leave it to me, we divide our aerial cavalry into two divisions, attack the flanks," I said pointing my dagger on the map, "we will lead the Changelings from their positions and drive them into the woods, that is where the pike and shot come in," Grunwald and Gregory seemed to catch on very quickly to this battle strategy that I have put forth to them.

"An ambush," said Gregory

"We will position the artillery on the hills, it should provide the crews with plenty of cover," we began to prepare for battle. Soldiers and aerial cavalry-griffons were arming and armoring themselves. An artillery battery was rolled up into positions on the hill. The crews loaded shot and powder down the barrels, "Your majesty, it is time," said Grunwald.

The artillery commander, a golden eagle-tiger griffon named Galena gave the order, "Feuer!" she ordered with a downward slash of her sword. Our 'saker' cannons thundered, and hammered into the Changeling ranks, hearing the quick yelps of pain as they began to fall dead. The sieging Changeling forces were so vast. It is like trying to slay a Hydra.

Nothing is immortal. Everything can bleed when it is struck. I did not see pike troops among the Changelings, a fatal error on their commander's part. From a hightop position, I unsheathed my sword from my side and pointed the tip of the blade skyward as the signal, "Angriff!" I roared, our two aerial cavalry divisions charged down with lances pointed.

The flap of thousands of wings took the Changelings by surprise as we clashed into the flanks. Their wheel-lock muskets felled the first line of cavalry, but we got through the lines. With a slash of my cut-and-thrust sword, I felt my blade cut cleanly into enemy flesh, and the decapitated head of a Changeling flew through the air like a hatchling's toy.

I killed another with a shot from my pistol between the eyes. I can see the enemy beginning to panic, and heard the cheers from the defending wolf-griffon soldiers. I raised a sword blackened with Changeling blood. I continued the fight, slashing and shooting any Changeling in my way. The sound of pistol and musket fire mixed with the cries of pain.

"Drive them to the forest!" I called out,

I pointed my sword in forest direction, and the aerial cavalry pushed forward. With the numbers of Changelings beginning to dwindle, and their morale sinking. The Changelings began to retreat. Some did parting shots at our forces, and felled a couple but they were swiftly cut down by lance or sword. We held back our forces in the Changelings retreat.

Waiting at the bottom of the hill heading into the forest was our pike and shot infantry, "Feuer!" called out Gilda and puffs of smoke from the snaphaunce muskets cut down the retreating Changelings. Those that were not shot were skewered on, and chopped to pieces the spears and axes of our halberds. We had relieved Gorrión of the besieging armies

"They will return," said Grunwald,

"Yes, they are stubborn like that," I said, Chrysalis is not going to take this defeat lightly. The grounds were blackened with the corpses of dead Changeling soldiers as well as our own. Their were the moans of the wounded. I kneeled down, and helped a griffon soldier bandaging up a head wound. He had scarring from the iron shards of a cannonball

The field was littered with the corpses of the fallen. Blood painting them in red with their white eyes staring up at the sun. Gregory went up to one of the dead, and closed her eyes so she can rest. The Kingdom of Castillo will not be the only one to feel the Changeling wrath, "We best send a messenger to Equestria, The Princesses must be informed,"

"I'll go," said a volunteer from among the ranks, a griffon named Georgia. A student from Twilight Sparkle's School of Friendship, she enlisted to serve her Kingdom. I did not force her into conscription. The Royal Army of the Griffon Kingdom is the largest volunteer army in all the kingdoms. Only members of the Royal Guard are fully enlisted soldiers.

She is easily recognizable among the ranks with her magenta-colored scarf, "You have your orders, you are to fly to Cantorlot, and ask for an audience with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, tell them this message is from Queen Gustel, have their armies mobilized and ready to march, a Changeling invasion may be imminent," I explained to the soldier.

"Yes, Your Majesty," she said with a salute and bow to me, and I bowed back. I desire to be a ruler that my kinfolk and ponyfolk can relate to. When a ruler starts thinking they are a god or above their kind in some sort of unreachable social hierarchy, that is how rebellions happen. Often times it will not turn out well for any of those on a receiving end.

"Make haste, my friend," I replied,

I watched as Georgia flew in the direction of Cantorlot. We entered the city gates that were battered by days of heavy cannon fire. The battle was won, and the siege was over. A war has only just begun. With my armor splattered in Changeling blood, I went to see Queen Maria-Elena. We touched talons to our shoulders, and embraced as sisters often do.

**(Please Read and Review Kindly) **


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